Sold Out - Michael Hardy

TWELVE

Cassie stirs awake, her face pressing against the pillows harder as she stretches. She leans up on her elbow and looks around, trying to get her bearings.

She looks around the room again then flops back down, rubbing her hands over her face.

Michael stirs next to her and tosses his arm around her middle, practically dragging her closer to him. He wraps her in his arms tightly, his face smushed against hers as his snoring resumes.

Cassie lays there for a while before she starts to get restless, maybe she's just getting hot.

She starts to wriggle her way out from under him but he grumbles something, not wanting to let her go just yet.

"Michael." She whispers, practically prying his arms from around her.

"No." He mumbles back, needing her to be right there.

"Michael." She repeats. "I gotta pee."

He huffs as he lets her go and she makes a beeline to the bathroom.

Michael sits up and runs a hand through his hair then over his face. He smiles up at Cassie when she slides back into bed with him, cuddling up against his side.

He sighs contently, his cheek against the top of her head. "Y'know I love you, right?"

She looks up at him with a look. "Uh, yeah?"

"I'm going on tour in a few months."

"Really?" He nods. "That's so exciting!"

"You're not mad?"

"Mad? Michael, why- why would I be mad?"

He's quiet.

"Listen, babe." She sits up on her knees to face him. "I love you. I want you to know that I want nothing but good things for you. You were doing this before we started dating again so you keep doing this, okay? I'm so proud of you, Michael."

He blushes and looks away, hiding his red cheeks with his hand.

"Awee!" She squeals, pulling his hands away from his face as she slides onto his lap. She pokes his red, dimpled cheeks and squeals again. "Look at your cute lil cheeks, you blushin'."

He bats her hands away. "Stop it!"

"My man's all blushy- hey!"

Michael pins her to the bed with a goofy smile. "Shut up." He mumbles then leans down to kiss her.

She kisses him back with the same passion, one hand on the back of his head as one of his is resting loosely around her throat.

"You wanna come with me?"

"On tour?"

"Yeah. It'd be fun."

"Won't you get bored of me?"

"Yeah, you're right."

She gasps and playfully hits him in the chest. "Jerk."

He laughs and brushes her hair back. "I'm kiddin', you know that."

"Yeah, yeah." She rolls her eyes playfully and smiles. "I'll go with you."

+++

Cassie agreed to go on tour but just for a week or so, she didn't want to get annoyed with living with a bunch of boys.

Currently, she's trying to be talked into performing a couple songs but she keeps saying she's not into that.

She isn't into it.

She just wants to write music.

"C'mon, just to say you've done it? I mean, we're in Mississippi on Friday! Why not do it where you grew up?"